Cash Mob to help Gatlinburg businesses rebound

Local sponsors in Knoxville plan to host a cash mob in January 2017 to help economically stimulate Gatlinburg businesses after the recent wildfires.

Author:
Drew LaFasto

Published:
12:12 AM EST December 30, 2016

Updated:
7:11 AM EST January 19, 2017

Local sponsors in Knoxville plan to host a cash mob in January 2017 to help economically stimulate Gatlinburg businesses after the recent wildfires.

"A lot of different folks came together to think about how we as a community can support Gatlinburg," Market Coordinator for REI Nolan Wildfire said.

"Many people are coming together to support Gatlinburg and support the wildfire relief efforts. Everybody's doing separate things, but together it's one enormous outpouring of support for that community."

A bus will transport the cash mob to Gatlinburg where people can go to four different businesses. Participants do not have to go to those four businesses specifically. Each trip will be spontaneous and different and will not bring participants to the same businesses.

"You know at the end of the day, those folks are family members, those folks are friends," Wildfire said. "Anyway we can go over there to support them is important for everyone."

The bus will pick up and drop off participants of the cash mob Friday and Saturday evenings from REI throughout the month of January.

The cost for tickets is $15 and all ages are welcome.

For more information on how you can get involved with the cash mob, here is the event's web page.

REI has also contributed $15,000 to Friends of the Smoky Mountains National Park to support wildfire relief efforts.

The store said they will continue their support with stewardship projects in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in spring 2017, and encourage community members to lend a hand.